The two-time Pro Bowler has signed with the rival Steelers on a three-year deal that's worth $27 million. ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report the terms of the deal, adding that Haden had sweeter deals on the table but ultimately settled on the Steelers, who are expected to challenge the Patriots for AFC supremacy.

Steelers are expected to sign former Browns CB Joe Haden to a three-year, $27 million deal, including $7M this year, sources told ESPN.

That's a great get for the Steelers, especially considering the timing. It's rare for a player of Haden's caliber to become available the week before the regular season.

Haden, the No. 7 pick in the 2010 draft, has recorded 19 interceptions and 100 passes defended in seven seasons. He'll help the Steelers considering their secondary is arguably the weakest part of their roster and they're forced to go up against A.J. Green twice a year. Furthermore, the Steelers are commonly regarded as the biggest challengers to the Patriots in the AFC, and as we all know, the Patriots have a stacked offense. That's why the Steelers need Haden.

But it's worth pointing out that Haden isn't in the same tier of cornerbacks as Richard Sherman, Chris Harris, and Patrick Peterson. He has flaws. Last year, Haden allowed a 97.7 passer rating and six touchdowns in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. The Browns, a team certainly in need of good players, decided they'd rather have about $7 million in cap space rather than Haden on their team.

Still, it's a clear upgrade for the Steelers, whose top cornerbacks before signing Haden were Artie Burns and Ross Cockrell. Haden has at least displayed the ability to be a top cornerback in the past, even if he's experienced a bumpy road in the past couple of seasons.

Haden's first game with the Steelers will be against the Browns in Cleveland.

Pick Six Newsletter

Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings.

I agree that CBS Sports can send me the "Pick Six Newsletter" newsletter.

Thanks for signing up!

Keep an eye on your inbox for the latest sports news.

Sorry!

There was an error processing your subscription.

Sean Wagner-McGough joined CBS Sports in 2015 after graduating from UC Berkeley. A native of Seattle, Sean now resides in the Bay Area. He spends his spare time defending Jay Cutler on Twitter.
Full Bio